Eden Hazard: The Next Chelsea Ace?

Overview
With Roman Abramovich begun the transfer war with a £34m move for Lille's winger Eden Hazard, FPLZ assesses what kind of impact is the Belgian winger is going to provide in EPL and also FPL.

Dribbling
This is perhaps the most striking attribute the new Chelsea attacker has. Hazard's ball control in limited areas is as good as Mata, except that he's much faster. His addition is expected to create lots of hazards (more importantly fouls and cards) to oppositions' defenders.

Passing
While being good in one-on-one battles, Hazard's team play ability is also astonishing. This was clearly exhibited in the resurgence of his ex-teammate Joe Cole who was so poor seasons ago. Hazard's one-two passing and long range crossing and lobbing are definitely something that his opponents should really beware about.

Finishing
Aged 21, Hazard has displayed excellent maturity in shooting, especially on one-on-one attempts against goalkeeper. He is calm, composed and shoots equally well with both feet. Not a man that one can easily mark him off from attempting shots.

Set Pieces
Hazard had frequently taken free kicks and corners at LOSC Lille and was also the primary penalty taker there. With his good accuracy, fantasy managers could really benefit from his set piece service, though it remains to be seen how is it going to be split among Lampard, Mata and him.

Leadership
Being the ace player of Lille previously, I believe Hazard has adequately learnt what it takes to become a good leader. He may not be able to show the same kind of influence so soon in such a different football environment, but I can see a future Chelsea leader here.

Challenges
It's always the same challenge for those who are new to Premier League - physicality. Can he shrug off stocky defenders like Vidic and Vermaelen? Can he remain injury free in a league full of harsh tackles? Time will tell how long will Hazard need to adapt to English football.

Verdict
Being an all-rounder in offence, Hazard could really strike immediate impact in fantasy football. His fantasy valuation, in my opinion, will be around £10.0m. Whether will he worth the price will depend on both his playing time and also his role in set piece duties.

Read here for a detailed analysis on Eden Hazard published one year ago on "the elastico".